My name is Madeline Skye, I'm 28 years old, and I captain a ship called Defiance. I guess you could say my story begins on Boros where I was born, though my early years weren't much to talk about. Had a sister, a mother and father, and a fine home. Went to school. Went to university for a year or so… like I said, nothing exciting. That's

why, for me, my story really begins on October 13th, a Friday, and my 18th birthday. The day I was drafted into the Alliance Armed Forces.

Now, I had no loyalties, not true ones, anyway. The Alliance hadn't done a thing to wrong me or mine, and to tell the truth, we were fairly well off under that regime. But I sure as a hou zi de pigu did not want to fight and die in a war for them. Unfortunately for me, I lived on Boros, and there aren't a lot of opportunities to escape that place without some Alliance officer or another noticin'.

I made the most of my situation, however. Always a ringleader, I showed that I could take control in a group, and it wasn't long before I was promoted to Corporal. It was all just title, though, as I hadn't seen much action. I'd killed a few men, but it was from afar, and wasn't so impactful to me. It was like a game. But that all changed when they sent me and a small group of my men on a small ship to Hera. They divided us into groups of four and shot us out over Serenity Valley in little pods. Now, I don't know how many of those pods landed safely, but mine most certainly did not.

The pod got shot down by a stationary anti-aircraft gun, and then plummeted into the side of a cliff. I don't remember much of what happened, and I don't much like to talk about it. I woke up God knows how long afterward and realized I was the only one who had survived. I know I owe it all to that lucky rabbit's foot my sister gave me before I left. I needed that good luck after having been born on a full moon on the 13th day of a dark month. But I digress…

It took me a while to realize that not only were all my compatriots dead, but that I was just sittin' in